Howdy NH Hunter-

My experience is very limited at this point - am just starting load development efforts.

Slugged the bore on mine and it runs .3804" in the grooves. Had to send the gun back to Marlin to have the chamber reamed out to accept the cartridge case. It wouldn't chamber a round with .379" bullet let alone .381"+.

Had Dan at Mountain Molds cut a mould for me which just arrived today. Bullets are dropping .382"+ which is as I'd spec'd. Unsized bullet seated in a dummy round chambers fine. I have high hopes for good accuracy. Will be mounting a 3-9 scope for load development and then pulling it to use either one of the new Williams top mount aperture sights or perhaps put on a Smith Enterprise or Columbia Precision tang sight. Mine is one of the more recent - smooth stocked versions that doesn't have the side of the receiver driled/tapped for a receiver sight. If you shop around - there are still the first gen rifles out there that had the checkered stocks and that were drilled/tapped for receiver sights. Wish I'd have gone that route and then could put on a Williams or Lyman receiver sight.

Anyhow - this round had a good reputation as a deer & black bear round. Expect it'll still do the job today.

Best regards-

Sky C.

NH Hunter,

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What would you guys suggest for a sight setup on this rifle? I really dont want to scope it and screw up the balance or anything. I was thinking about a Lyman #2, but have heard tang sights are kind of flimsy and can be damaged easily.

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I know several fellows who carry rifles when hunting bear behind dogs. Two of these fellows hunt together. One guy has slung his rifle across his back as well as hand carried it and is a big fellow providing good protection to the gun when slung. He has beaten off every sight he's had mounted on his gun, at least once. He never knows when it happened.



The other fellow hunts right along side him as they run to follow the dogs or get to the dogs. He has never damaged his gun(s) or sights. Some people are like that, they are just more aware of what is happening and naturally more careful. Which are you?



If it were me, I'd mount a good receiver sight but the tang sight would not worry me at all. I had one on a M93 Marlin (the predecessor to the M36 and M336) and it worked well.



As to the cartridge, well, I like it. It can be loaded to at least approach the .375 Winchester ballistics. Good jacketed bullets are available. H4198 and RL7 are prime powders for the cartridge. Good commercial cast bullets are also available from many providers.



Although I had to sell my M93 (in .38-55) many years ago, I wanted another .38-55 so much that I kept the dies and now have a good barrel for my Contender so that I continue to use this wonderful cartridge.